We Tested the World’s First Desktop Mealworm Farm

At first glance, the Livin farms Mealworm Hive looks like a pretty nice Ikea cubby. But open one of the drawers and you’ll see it’s actually filled with live worms, beetles, pupae, and what appears to be dust (it’s worm poop). The hive’s makers claim that it’s the world’s first at-home edible insect farm. It retails for $699, and should you feel so inclined, you may purchase one here right now.

The team at Livin farms is hoping to solve the issue of food transparency. When you buy meat in a grocery store, it’s difficult to tell how it was raised, or what that animal ate when it was alive. If you raise your own meat, you know exactly where it’s been every step of the way. In theory, the Hive makes farming your own protein more accessible to space-strapped city dwellers. Plus, mealworms reach maturity and are ready to eat much faster than a larger animal like a chicken.

Is the reward of greater food transparency worth the effort of farming and cooking larvae in your home? Watch the video above to find out how the hive works, and to follow along as we farm, harvest, and prepare a mealworm dinner party.